Neighborhood Disadvantage and Health: A Lifecourse Perspective

Abstract:
Although health outcomes vary dramatically across neighborhoods, we lack an in-depth understanding of the inter-relationship between neighborhood environments and the health of their residents. In an effort to grasp this, S. V. Subramanian, Ph.D., M.Phil., a geographer and associate professor in the department of society, human development, and health at Harvard University, will use empirical data from three long-range studies: the Framingham Heart Study, the Health and Retirement Survey, and the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. In his project, Neighborhood Disadvantage and Health: a Lifecourse Perspective, Dr. Subramanian will examine the complex interaction between environment and health across an individual's lifespan. The study also will look at the possibility that residents' health status may influence their choice of neighborhood. He will explore whether neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage correlates with the degree of resources such as accessibility to parks and recreational facilities, health care services, public transport, food environment, and educational opportunities. Results should help advance our understanding of the role of neighborhoods in health and of the potential to improve quality of life in disadvantaged neighborhoods through investments in infrastructure and other community resources.